What is happening to my Apple Trees?
- Thread starter Stevieray
- Start date
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
That looks like damage from some type of insect rather than disease. You can see where something has eat part of the leaves away, and I suspect that the small spots with brown leaves is where the insect has eaten near the base of those leaves. I would spray the tree with something like "Sevin," and that will probably take care of whatever it is. If it starts looking very much different later on, post some more pictures and we can look at it again.
Fireblight will cause dead and brown leaves too, but you will see the infamous shepherd's crook and not see where something has eaten part of the leaves. However, if you start seeing the limb dying back as time goes on, and the crook appearing, that would change things. Good luck.
Fireblight will cause dead and brown leaves too, but you will see the infamous shepherd's crook and not see where something has eaten part of the leaves. However, if you start seeing the limb dying back as time goes on, and the crook appearing, that would change things. Good luck.
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BoneCrusher20
Active Member
My first thought was ants/aphid damage, as it looks like the damage is to new growth, which usually signifies bugs. I am probably pruning away limbs that have this just to be cautious of disease, nice clean cut and then possibly put some grafting compound over it since things have already leafed out by you.
Although it doesn't look like disease to me. If it is truly ants, i've used neem oil early in season like this as more organic and i try my best to limit synthetics if its just a temporary issue. Usually for ants that do damage like this once the new growth hardens off for summer they tend to leave it alone.
Although it doesn't look like disease to me. If it is truly ants, i've used neem oil early in season like this as more organic and i try my best to limit synthetics if its just a temporary issue. Usually for ants that do damage like this once the new growth hardens off for summer they tend to leave it alone.
I,m with NH on this one; several moths make a cocoon like this. I would cut these off the end of the branches; cut below the joint and just above an outward bud and burn/stomp the you know what out of them. If you have a university extension office (entomologist expert) nearby, take it in for possible identification.
My guess is it's some type of leaf roller (there are several) or possibly an apple moth cocoon.
Good luck!
P.S. How close are you to Stillwater; they have some really good bug guys there. I spent several years at Okie State as Director of Executive Development Programs. Met T Boone Pickens who died 9-2019... an OSU grad - a diehard Cowboy - and the great benefactor of OSU athletics. Really friendly community; at that time, the school was as big as the town so everyone got along real well. I believe Stillwater today is only the 6th/7th largest city in a state with a fairly small population. If you are an outdoor person, OK is not a bad place to live .... except for tornadoes. we lived there for 4 months before we learned what a "fraidy-hole" was. With very few basements, many place a tornado shelter in the backyard.
My guess is it's some type of leaf roller (there are several) or possibly an apple moth cocoon.
Good luck!
P.S. How close are you to Stillwater; they have some really good bug guys there. I spent several years at Okie State as Director of Executive Development Programs. Met T Boone Pickens who died 9-2019... an OSU grad - a diehard Cowboy - and the great benefactor of OSU athletics. Really friendly community; at that time, the school was as big as the town so everyone got along real well. I believe Stillwater today is only the 6th/7th largest city in a state with a fairly small population. If you are an outdoor person, OK is not a bad place to live .... except for tornadoes. we lived there for 4 months before we learned what a "fraidy-hole" was. With very few basements, many place a tornado shelter in the backyard.
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